World of Hyatt is broken. Here's how to fix it. | Coffee Break Ep43 | 1-28-25
Jan 28, 2025
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The World of Hyatt has long been a favorite for rewards enthusiasts, but recent changes have raised concerns. The hosts discuss declining value due to dynamic pricing and limited hotel options. They propose vital fixes, like revising the management of free night certificates and improving partnerships. A push for standard room pricing aims to enhance competitiveness and member satisfaction. Listeners can expect solutions that address current limitations and foster better rewards for loyal customers.
The World of Hyatt program remains popular for its valuable point redemptions and elite member benefits, yet faces criticism for recent declines in value.
To restore member satisfaction, Hyatt should implement standard room pricing and allow free night certificates for partnered properties.
Deep dives
Value of Hyatt Points
Using World of Hyatt points to book stays at Hyatt properties typically offers significant value. Many members report that they achieve excellent returns on their point redemptions across various levels of the award chart, making them a preferred choice for travelers. Notable benefits like free breakfast, lounge access, and waived resort fees for globalists enhance the overall experience, leading to higher satisfaction. These advantages, along with milestone rewards allowing for suite upgrades and benefit sharing, establish Hyatt as a strong competitor in the hotel loyalty landscape.
Concerns with New Partnerships
Recent partnerships and expansions have unfortunately led to a decline in the overall value provided by the World of Hyatt program. For instance, the integration of Mr. and Mrs. Smith properties did not maintain the historic value Hyatt members enjoyed, instead opting for dynamic pricing schemes that often yield poor redemption value. Additionally, the former partnership with Small Luxury Hotels ended, which further limited options for members seeking good value within Hyatt's offerings. This shift has left many members feeling disappointed and concerned about the future trajectory of the program.
Suggestions for Improvement
To restore the attractiveness of the World of Hyatt program, two key enhancements could be implemented. The first suggestion is to introduce standard room pricing within partnerships, allowing members to book rooms at fixed award levels based on Hyatt's award chart. Secondly, enabling free night certificates to be used at partnered properties would provide members with more flexibility and better reflect their loyalty. These improvements could significantly enhance member satisfaction and reaffirm Hyatt's commitment to its customer base.
World of Hyatt has been a favorite amongst points and miles enthusiasts for years. You can use your points for excellent properties at typically excellent values and the elite benefits are actually valuable. But...they're far from perfect, especially more recently. Not to worry - we have some suggestions for what they can do to get back on track.
(02:20) - Long term problem: limited number of hotels
(04:29) - But they've killed a lot of the progress they'd made towards the footprint problem and moved instead towards dynamic award pricing
(07:54) - Our suggestion: Fix Mr & Mrs Smith awards
(10:54) - Or, more realistically: Fix free night certificates
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Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads
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